Danbury Resident Receives Patriot Award

June 6 marks not just the 74th anniversary of D-Day, but the 74th anniversary of Forecast International CEO Ed Nebinger's first WWII mission, a flight over Normandy in support of the Allied Forces. In a ceremony held on Monday, June 4, Mr. Nebinger and two other Forecast International senior staff officers were presented with the ESGR Patriot Award at FI's International HQ in Newtown, Connecticut. The ESGR (Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve) Patriot Award reflects efforts made by a company to support citizen warriors through a wide range of measures, including flexible schedules, time off prior to and after deployment, and leaves of absence if required.

Patriot Award recipients are Sharon Grimm, Director of Personnel; Ray Peterson, Vice President of Research and Editorial Services; and Ed Nebinger, CEO.

Ted Graziani, Chairman of the Connecticut chapter of ESGR remarked when presenting the award to Mr. Nebinger, "Culture begins at the top. Unless you have buy-in from the top, it doesn't flow down…. Such a great attribute, what you have done, not only serving our country, but having run this company with your thoughts and know-how, and patriotism. On behalf of the DoD, we cannot thank you enough for the example that you have set. As a matter of fact…other companies should benchmark what you do, with your men and women in the military…and those who have served too, because you recognize what they have to offer."

Awards were presented by Mr. Graziani and Eileen Hurst, Military Outreach Director for the Connecticut ESGR. In attendance in support of the award recipients were Newtown First Selectman Dan Rosenthal, State Representative Will Duff, and State Senator Tony Hwang.

Selectman Rosenthal remarked, "Often times when it comes to patriotism…we talk about the flag, we put stickers on our car, and everything else, and that's all fine and good, and important. But to see someone…really making patriotism a part of their business culture … really speaks volumes about Forecast International."

Representative Duff expressed his thanks to the company for its support of service members and veterans, saying, "I do appreciate when I hear stories about a company going out of its way to allow, first, that veterans are employed, and to support veterans in times when flexibility is needed."

Senator Hwang presented the three senior company officers with State of Connecticut General Assembly Official Citations in recognition of their support for military employees. Signatories of the citation included: State Senator Hwang, 28th District; State Representative Mitch Bolinsky, 106th District; State Representative Duff, 2nd District; and State Representative J.P. Sredzinski, 112th District.

Senator Hwang said, "This is a Newtown company that is world recognized. But you hire the best of the best, and some of them happen to be veterans. And they create a world-class company…not only is it patriotism and respecting the freedoms and rights that we have as Americans, but also this makes great business sense – patriotic, diligent, committed to excellence. This is a message that goes out to so many of our employers – to look to our military veterans as a resource to get them to the next level of employment competitiveness."

About ESGR

ESGR is a Department of Defense program established in 1972 to promote cooperation and understanding between Reserve Component Service members and their civilian employers and to assist in the resolution of conflicts arising from an employee's military commitment.

About Forecast International

Forecast International Inc. (FI), founded in 1973 by former U.S. Air Force officer Ed Nebinger, is a privately owned business headquartered in Newtown, Connecticut, USA. The company specializes in long-range industry forecasts and market assessments used by strategic planners, marketing professionals, military organizations and governments worldwide. Forecast International also maintains a high posture of situational awareness and geopolitical analysis.